Doctor Who usually likes to leave you with some sort of moral message. For the directors, the producers, the writers, it’s not just about entertaining the audience, but teaching them things as well, guiding them in the right direction. This week’s episode also comes with a strong message that everyone should heed. An environmental message.
Of course this child is one of Clara’s pupils. They were on a gifted and talented school trip (along with Mister Pink) at the Natural History Museum. Clara, Danny and the rest of the school children meet The Doctor and the child, Maebh, at Trafalgar Square. Together they try to navigate the forest and figure out a way to get rid of it. It seems there is some connection between the forest and Maebh, but it becomes difficult to work out the link when she decides to run off into the forest on her own. She leaves a trail for The Doctor and Clara to find, before they come across her being chased by wolves, and then by a tiger.
After a stunning role and performance last week, Clara is back to her somewhat annoying self. She continues to lie to Danny about her trips with The Doctor, and you wonder why he has stayed with her so long. We also see The Doctor at his most powerless because, as he points out, he knows how to fight monsters, not nature.
There are no big scary monsters. Just an environmental crisis with a message. That is what is great about this episode. Ignore the rather bad character portrayals or the awful CG animals. The plot itself is amazingly entertaining and educational at the same time.